Delilah
by DearMyDreamer
Summary: Sometimes it takes a miracle to save someone, and miracles don't always have to be events.
1. Chapter 1

_**Part I**_

_**Eleven**_

He kicked the mulch beneath his feet absently as the kids around him laughed and ran. The wooden bench was cool against his skin from the shade of an oak tree, saving him from the late spring heat the others were playing in. The whole scenario was a laughing stock, really. Middle schoolers-just having entered sixth grade-stopping class in the middle of the day for a 'play break.' But not him, of course. He was too old to play.

No, that wasn't it.

A girl his age giggled from a way toward his right. He didn't spare her a glance. He wasn't too old to play, it was just the kids around him. They didn't know anything. To them a scrape on the knee or a broken arm from the skating rink was the worst imaginable pain. To them the world was safe and slowly coming into their reach as they got older. All they saw was hope and opportunity without any consequence. He didn't want to play with naivety. He didn't have time.

His head ached from keeping it still for so long, but as he leaned his neck to the side, a particular sound reached his ears and it wasn't the release of his joints. It was disparity. A boy was crying out for something…for someone to hear him.

"Please, guys!" His dark eyes trailed slowly toward the sound, finding a blond mop of hair and tanned skin turned toward an enclosed circle of kids. "C'mon, look at me!" He threw a large piece of mulch at their feet. None of them even turned to glance at the boy's plea. They were shutting him out. "Please…" The boy fell on his knees and started crying, but the group just laughed and walked away as if they hadn't seen him at all. "Not again."

He sighed and brushed a strand of black hair from his eyes. They were about to be called in anyway. He might as well get his good deed for the year over with. He stood and nonchalantly made his way over to the wreck of a boy. The shaking figure didn't even acknowledge him as he approached. What a hypocrite. "Oi." No response. "What's your name?"

The shaking stopped momentarily before the golden mop turned upwards to show a face. A scarred face with gorgeous eyes of lonely blue. He knew those eyes. "Naruto," the boy said, giving him a curious glance.

He smirked at the sign of mistrust and held out his hand. "I'm Sasuke." Naruto stared at his hand as if it would burn him-a disgusting, vile thing. That made Sasuke even happier. "We're going to be late." He heard a growl before the hands touched and the ebony-haired boy finally helped his friend up from the dirt.

Naruto: the boy who knew pain.

_**Seven**_

Sasuke pouted and swung his legs in and out from under him. The plastic chair at the police station made his butt hurt. He had been there before visiting his father at work, so why couldn't they let him sit in his father's chair? It was fluffy and he could spin around in it until he was sick. It was the least they could do after pulling him out of school.

The boy sighed impatiently as he thought of his missed subtraction test. His grade would drop unless he made it up soon. Then his parents wouldn't be happy and he would be grounded and his brother would tease him and poke him on the head…

"Sasuke?" Young dark eyes looked up to meet their bored twin, only in an older, silver-haired man. "My name is Kakashi. I'm a social worker." Sasuke crinkled his nose in confusion. The man sighed, drooping his uncovered eye to an impossible level. "I help children, like yourself, out of certain situations-like family problems."

Family problems? Sasuke eyed the odd-looking man with distrust. His family was fine. And how did-what was his name, Kakashi?-get his hair up like that? He must have used a lot of crazy glue when his boss wasn't looking.

"Focus Sasuke." Kakashi snapped his fingers, drawing back the boy's attention. "I have to tell you some bad news okay? Listen carefully." The man waited for a nod before continuing. "You're parents died this morning, after you went to school." What? "The evidence-or clues-lead to your brother, Itachi, being the one who killed them. Do you understand?"

Sasuke looked at the man as if he were insane. His parents, dead. Like his goldfish? Do they flush parents down the toilet? No, wait. He never saw that fish again. No…no, no, no. He wanted to see his parents. "I want to see my father!" he demanded, jumping off the chair and standing as a perfect, miniature defiant statue of his father.

Kakashi raised in eyebrow and stared at Sasuke in thought. When he came to a conclusion, he kneeled down to the boy's height and looked him straight on. "Your parents aren't coming back, Sasuke."

The boy started to shake, but bit his tongue in resistance. "What about It-Itachi?" He held up his chin, willing a better answer, but received none.

"They say he is the reason they won't come back," Kakashi said slowly. "You aren't allowed to see him. It's for your safety." Sasuke's eyes lowered and then his head as tears came to his eyes and he finally began to cry. Kakashi almost jumped when he felt the small body lean on him for support. It almost seemed surreal for such a strong boy, no matter how small, to still act like a child.

The moment, of course, didn't last. Kakashi eventually grabbed the boy's hand and stood up, preparing to go. "Someone has volunteered to take care of you until we can find someone suitable. He's going to meet us at my office." Sasuke nodded and rubbed his arm across his sore eyes. He was so confused. Who was going to love him now?

_**Thirteen**_

A thin, pale hand slammed down onto the light wood of the table. Sasuke had just arrived to meet Naruto at their favorite diner, a look of pure determination on his face. "Naruto," his bland voice said, "I'm in love."

The blond blinked twice before bursting into laughter. "Sasuke, you hardly _love_ me!" Then he stopped and paled slightly. "Wait, _do_ you-"

"No!" Sasuke cringed and looked down at the floor, letting his black bangs hide his face. "Idiot. I mean…I mean with him."

Naruto's face contorted immediately into an emotion beyond rage. "You can't," the boy growled, "_He_ hurts you. _He_ doesn't even know what love is."

Sasuke's fist clenched. "I have to!" His voice broke and he paused. "If you do it with someone…you love them, right?"

The sentence hung in the air like humidity, weighing down Naruto's heart. The beginnings of a thousand questions ran through his mind, but the only word that escaped his lips was, "What?"

Sasuke refused to look up and lowered his voice. "I was almost asleep and he got on top of me. I didn't even hear him open the door." His fist shook on the table, in anger or despair Naruto couldn't tell. "He wouldn't stop. He just kept touching me and…and I couldn't do anything." He paused, a defeated tone surrounding him. "I couldn't stop him."

Naruto let out a frustrated yell and slammed his fist into the booth wall behind Sasuke. His breaths grew more ragged as salt started to sting at his eyes. "Sasuke," he said, winding his arms tightly around his stiff friend, "believe me, that isn't love."

_**Seventeen**_

The warm summer breeze breathed an ounce of life into Sasuke as he walked across the dark parking lot. The only light still shining at the ungodly hour was coming from right ahead of him at Ichiraku's. The diner was silent and still despite the flashing neon light on the door, and Sasuke almost felt guilty interrupting the silence when the bell chimed as he entered.

As usual, the owner wasn't in sight and no customers were in view, so he took the liberty of walking to the payphone without announcing himself. He wanted it to be private, anyway. He slid quarters in expertly and dialed the all-too-familiar number of the person he needed most.

A dial tone. A dial tone. A-click and a groan. "Nn, Hello?"

"Naruto?" Sasuke clutched the receiver tightly, making his knuckles fade.

"Yeah. What time is it…?" He heard his friend shuffle to find the alarm clock, but wasted no time.

"Naruto, you won't believe what he's done."

* * *

_**Author's Blab:** This little piece of work is divided into two chapters for the two parts. This was part one, the next will be part two. It's another one to go in my boredom/inspired by a song series. Joy._

_**This story was inspired by -drumroll-...'Delilah' by the Dresden Dolls.**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Naruto series. Simple and Sweet.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Part II**_

_**Eleven**_

The door closed quietly behind him as he entered the cold and dreary house. The only light ever kept on was the one above the stove in the kitchen and like a moth in the night, that was always the first place he went to. He kicked off his shoes and let his backpack fall to the floor.

_the light…_

_the light…_

He bolted across the living room floor and ducked through the archway to the kitchen. The light-where children were safe from what was lurking in the dark. It was his only place for peace. He ran a hand through his dark bangs before walking over to the cupboard right of the stove and grabbing a drinking glass. The glass was cold in his hand as he turned to carry it to the sink. A simple, lifeless, fragile object that's only purpose was to be used over and over for another's needs until it was thrown away. What a pathetic thing.

A hand wrapped around his waist and pulled him back. The glass fell from his grasp and shattered on the floor. A foreign warmth invaded his back as he was pressed against a stronger body.

_No, the light's still on…_

The hand wandered lower, making him sick as it trailed the hem of his pants familiarly.

_When you have no place to hide from the monsters, _  
_where are you safe?_

_**Seven**_

His legs dangled lifelessly over the cushioned chair in Kakashi's office. The thoughts in his mind swam through like oil in water. They stuck out, but were still the same slippery substance and left him just as quickly. He had a feeling that he had cried everything out earlier, which was why his eyes stung so badly. Was he empty now? Was there anything left?

The door clicked open behind him. "Sasuke," Kakashi said, "your great uncle is here to get you." Sasuke vaguely searched through his known family tree as he jumped off the chair. He didn't remember a great uncle.

He shuffled his way to Kakashi, stopping at the man's feet. The door was slowly opened more, revealing shiny black shoes and nice black pants. Sasuke tilted his head up to find spiky black hair, the same color as his. "Hello Sasuke," the stranger said, "I'm Madara. You'll be living with me now."

_**Thirteen**_

The aisles in the pharmacy were barren as the two boys wandered around. Toys, medicines, candies, and get well cards were stocked by the bunches, but every one of them was passed by. Naruto let out a frustrated sigh and cradled his head back into his hands. "What are we doing here, anyway?"

Sasuke pointedly ignored him and kept walking purposefully into the far right of the store. He flew by hair accessories, make-up, baby diapers, until he finally stopped at the perfumes and lotion aisle.

Naruto raised an eyebrow as his friend scanned the differently scented sprays. "Uh, Sasuke?"

"Hn."

Naruto picked up in 'Aah, Ocean' bottle cautiously. "Why are you trying to smell like a girl?"

Without a word the dark-haired youth reached out for a rose scented bottle and sprayed the perfume on himself. The strength of it burned his nose and made his eyes water. He placed the bottle back and turned around, briskly heading back to the entrance of the store.

Naruto watched him for a moment, dumbstruck. "H-Hey Sasuke! Wait!" He broke into a run and rushed through the automatic doors, catching Sasuke just as he exited. "Bastard, I said _wait_!" Naruto grabbed the pale boy's shirt and shoved him up against the brick wall. Dark eyes glared pointedly into blue. He was cornered. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Naruto shouted obscenely.

Sasuke looked away from him in embarrassment. "He said I should smell like a rose, so I figured-"

"No!" Naruto slammed his back again. "You can't do this! You can't listen to everything that pervert says!"

Sasuke's head snapped up in fury. "Shut up! You don't know what it's like! If I do this he make take it easier-"

"He won't and you know it!" Naruto growled, his fists clenching tighter on Sasuke's stretching shirt. "Damnit! I know you can open your legs Sasuke, try kicking them instead!"

Silence. The words went into Sasuke like a cookie cutter, tearing him into shapes and pieces, while a wave of guilt hit Naruto in the stomach. The blond shakily released his companion, taking a step backward. "Sasuke, I-"

"If I don't do what he says, he'll hurt someone." The pale boy's body trembled with furious emotion. "He'll hurt you or someone from school and it'll be my fault. I can't let that happen."

Naruto shook his head defiantly. "You can't save the fucking world Sasuke." Without another word, a flash of dark hair whipped by him as his friend ran home.

_**Seventeen**_

Ichiraku's looked as it always had. Empty, dimly lighted, and poorly cared for. For the most part it was abandoned. No one had ever seen the owner, but someone must have been paying for it or else the place would be a Burger King. As far as Sasuke was concerned, it could be anything as long as he and Naruto could still talk there safely and without interruption.

The bell on the door jingled as the blond teen stepped in. "Damn it's getting cold out there. Alright, what the hell has he-Sasuke?" Naruto stopped as he took in the bruises on his friend's face. Not a patch of skin wasn't discolored. His left eye was as large as a fist. A gash near his hairline was still bleeding slightly. "What happened?"

The low, melodic voice barely reached Naruto's ears. "He set him up."

Naruto frowned in confusion, stepping closer. "Who did what?"

Sasuke's frail hands started to shake violently at his sides. "The bastard set Itachi up!"

Blue eyes widened frantically. "Whoa! Stop and rewind! Tell me what's going on from the beginning."

Sasuke took in a breath with difficulty and peered at his best friend seriously. "Madara killed my parents and framed Itachi for it."

Naruto's frown deepened. "Why?"

Sasuke flinched, a looking of utter guilt crossing his face. "Because he wanted me." There was a pause as Naruto took it in. Sasuke snorted. "And don't worry, he _told_ me himself." He gestured bitterly to his beaten face.

"God, Sasuke," Naruto breathed, wrapping his arms around his friend's thinner frame. "It's not your fault."

"I don't know if I can go back there," Sasuke said truthfully. "I might kill him."

The blond chuckled. "Yeah, well I have a better idea. You drove your Saturn here right?" Sasuke looked up at him questioningly and nodded. Naruto grinned. "Well let's see how fast it can go."

_**Nineteen**_

Sasuke fidgeted nervously outside of the prison gates. "They told him everything during the trial. What if-What must he think of me?"

Naruto rolled his eyes next to him. "We've been over this! You're his little brother _and_ you got his ass out of jail. If anything, you're his savior."

Sasuke's lips twitched upward at the thought of Itachi worshipping him. "Thank you, Naruto."

"For what?" the blond asked, giving him a skeptical look.

Sasuke sighed. "For being there through…everything."

Naruto gave a small laugh. "I'll always be here when you need me, Sasuke."

The gates rattled as a guard pushed them open. Fearfully, Sasuke brought his eyes forward to meet a matching pair. His breath hitched. "Itachi," he choked, and in a flash he was in his brother's arms for the first time in thirteen years. An eternity.

Itachi gave a low chuckle and thumped a hand on Sasuke's head. "Little brother." They stayed that way for a moment, the guard long gone. Itachi pulled back first, looking at Sasuke then at the parking lot in confusion. "Who were you talking to?"

Sasuke furrowed his brow in confusion and looked back to where Naruto was.

Nothing.

"I-uh," Sasuke stammered, searching for an answer. "A friend."

* * *

_**Author's Blab:** Yaaay. It's done. Now for those of you confused, well...I can't really help you. It kind of ruins it to explain everything. But if you really want me to, ask me in the form of a review to tell you what you missed. I'll message you back, I promise._

**Disclaimer:** IaDbOcNdOeTfOgWhNijNkAlRmUnTpO. Mkay, now read every other word of that last 'sentence.'


End file.
